Category: lazy girls forgot to select a category

I have not seen Despicable Me. I don’t know why and I feel like I’ve missed out. Minions for me, is one of Dreamworks’ best and should put to rest any rumours that the production company are in trouble. Better plot than the Penguins of Madagasgar. Perhaps that it’s due to Kevin, Stuart and Bob being much more lovable. You really do route for them… and giggle at their failures.

A small slight on the film would be that the beginning of the film had been a little overplayed as the trailer for the last six months. However, once the action got going, it was a nice surprise to find that the trailers had not given away too much of the plot. Decent laughs for both adults and children.

In terms of star pulling power, I don’t think it was necessary. Sandra Bullock’s voice was barely recognisable and these little guys seem to have a fan base of their own. However, there’s a nice game of ‘spot the British actor’ waiting for anyone yet to have seen the film.

Cast- 6 (Wasn’t feeling the Bullock)
Cinematography- 9
Plot-8
Pace-8
Music-8
Enjoyability- 9

It’s films like this that remind me that my humour comes from my brother. I like crude, rude and downright silly. I was the only woman in a room of about 10 others. I laughed loud and I laughed hard at those stupid jokes.
Nice simple plot means that each of the characters have enough time to develop and shine. I have yet to watch a single episode of the TV show, yet I did not feel lost. There were plenty of cameos to keep people from both side of the pond happy.
However, I was the only one in the screen to laugh. The jokes fell flat for everyone else.

Cast- 6

 Cinematography- 5

Plot- 5

Pace-5 

Music-4 

Enjoyability- 6

I’ve been told this is the best film of the four. I’ve also been told I would never, ever, be able to say that. It’s true. Jurassic Park is my film. It’s the start of my love of film and I will always be biased. That said, I will try my best.

I’m skipping the plot over view. That is not going to change your intention to see it.

The good

The Pratt. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this guy is my generation’s Harrison Ford. He’s the action hero we’ve been waiting for.
The park. Breathtaking and brilliant. Hints of nostalgia with touches of new technology.

The bad
Dr Wu. It’s a personal thing. In the previous film he had no more than 2 minutes of screen time. However, I’ve read the book and I’ve had 22 years building up my idea of this character. What I saw in Jurassic World was not my Dr Wu.
Claire. She’s not Ellie or Sarah. She’s a fish out of water. I know that’s meant to be the point and the actress didn’t grate on me as she normally would, but I still didn’t like her. And don’t get me started on those shoes. I also feel I was missing something about the relationship between her and Owen.
The opening. Again, more a personal choice. It’s a move away from the traditional openings, a stand alone exposition faded in from black.

The ugly.
The ending. While no film in the franchise is ever going to take the ‘worst ending’ award from number 3, I couldn’t help but having Liam Neeson lamenting ‘there’s always a bigger fish’ as the final action scene concludes.
The violence. What is happening to our movies? Many of our franchises that started out life rated as 18 have recently had their sequels downgraded to 12A. Jurassic World has upgraded it’s thirst for visual blood and body count, bringing it up to a 12A. While I enjoyed the violence personally, I don’t think it was necessary to create a visual treat for all.

Cast- 8
Cinematography- 8
Plot-8
Pace-9
Music-9
Enjoyability- 9

AKA- Sheldon Cooper is an Alien.
The plot is fairly simple enough; Outcast alien messes up, many times, before helping saving the day and showing the rest of his species that different isn’t always bad.
It’s enjoyable and harmless, but it’s still just a vehicle for Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons. While I myself, don’t mind 20 minute boughts of Sheldon, 90 minutes is just a little much.

Cast- 7
Cinematography- 8
Plot-7
Pace-7
Music-4
Enjoyability- 6

He will always be back.

Just like Star Trek (2009), Paramount/Skydance productions have used time travel to give us a new spin on an original story. Post apocalyptic soldier Kyle Reese (played well by no stranger to franchises that should stay dead- Jai Courtney) is sent back to 1984 to save waitress Sarah Connor from the T1-800.

The mission has changed, soldier. Sarah is all too aware of her future thanks to one of many incarnations of Arnie. Here we see more of a T2: Judgement Day heroine, played by Game of Thrones Emilia Clarke.

The film follows the typical action formula that at times come at a sacrifice to the alarmingly convoluted plot. The dialogue and visuals are there to bring laughs too; reminding everyone watching, this franchise has forgotten its roots. It has has gone the exact same way as another beloved of mine; Die Hard. Both started with hard 18 ratings. They were tense, they were cool. Hell, these veteran action heroes deserve better than this, and so do we.

It’s worth a watch if you’ve already managed to get yourself through editions 3 and 4; it’s no less painful and has enough nostalgia to feel like time well(ish) spent. It wraps itself up nicely. A little too nicely, if you ask me. I don’t buy it and it’ll feel even cheaper when the sequel comes around.

Cast- 8
Cinematography- 7 (Budget went on Arnie)
Plot-5 (It’s like Doctor Who’s time-whimey slinky)
Pace-8 (nauseating)
Music-6 (nothing new and rather lacking for a Hans Zimmer)
Enjoyability- 9 (leave your brains at home)

This film isn’t for everyone, but I didn’t half love it. Jennifer Anniston gives an Oscar worthy performance as Clare, a chronic pain sufferer.
I was surprised at how light and funny the film was despite its dark story of suicide, isolation and addiction.
Anna Kendrick wasn’t quite right in her role as a fellow sufferer in the support group, but she did work well with Anniston so I’ll let it pass.
Sam Worthington! Where has this man been?? Finally a role that I think fits. Keep him away from the action movies and root him in indie dark comedies because he is a natural.
Highlight of this movie is truly Clare’s relationship with her put upon house keeper, played by Adriana Barraza.
Normally with these kind of films I’d be crying, but it has so much charm that you would find it hard not to feel uplifted.
Why this film was snubbed at the Oscars is beyond me.

Cast- 8
Cinematography- 9
Plot- 9
Pace- 8
Music- 8
Enjoyability- 7

I didn’t think there would be a film I regretted more than Shades. Oh how wrong I was.
It could have been a clever and fast paced techno thriller along the same vein as Enemy of the State and The Net (ok, The Net hasn’t dated well but it’s my guilty pleasure). However, what transpires on screen is something I feel should have been left on the cutting room floor.
The premise is sound, but it’s poorly executed and the excuse for a romance lacks any chemistry. The plot is so incoherent that I’m pretty certain a main character dies twice and ten people left before the credits rolled.

Cast-5
Cinematography-4
Plot-4
Pace-2
Music- 3
Enjoyability- 1